We were lucky to catch up with Arman Sangalang recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Arman, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

In 2023, I released my first album as a bandleader entitled Quartet. This was meaningful because it stemmed from music I wrote and workshopped when I was awarded the Jazz Links Fellowship from the Jazz Institute of Chicago. The fellowship allowed me to study with bassist/composer Matt Ulery who appears on the album and the program offered multiple opportunities to refine my quartet’s sound through performances at Make Music Chicago, Epiphany and a final performance at the Chicago Jazz Festival. It was that festival performance in particular that made me realize that I was ready to record the music.
The band on the record comprised of Matt Ulery, guitarist Dave Miller and drummer Devin Drobka. As individuals, they have a long discography and have such unique and distinct voices. These guys have all played with each other on various projects, so when I put them together in my group, it felt like it was really easy to slip into a collective vibe. They’re also just amazing guys off the bandstand and they were all so helpful in guiding me through the process of releasing the album. The album was released on Calligram Records which is ran by Geof Bradfield and Chad McCullough. Geof was one of my mentors at Northern Illinois University and it was really great to work with him and Chad on this release.

Arman, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Chicago-based saxophonist and composer Arman Sangalang has been garnering attention as one of the up-and-coming jazz musicians on the scene. His debut record “Quartet” was released in 2023 on Calligram Records and garnered acclaim for “Best First Release as Leader” by RadioRadioX.

Throughout his career, he’s had the honor of sharing the stage with notable jazz artists such as Jon Irabagon, Clark Sommers, Bruce Forman, Sylvia Cuenca, and countless others. His music has been performed at prestigious venues like the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, and Chicago Jazz Festival. Other notable venues include The Green Mill, Andy’s Jazz Club, Hungry Brain, The California Clipper, The Whistler, and Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club.

Arman has also received various accolades in the last few years. He was awarded grants from the Illinois Arts Council Agency and Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events for his debut album. In 2023, he was selected to be apart of the Boysie Lowery Living Jazz Residency in Delaware. In 2022, IRIS, a collective formed by Arman, was one of four groups across the U.S. selected for the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy. The same year, Arman was also the awardee of the Jazz Institute of Chicago’s Jazz Links Fellowship program.

Arman holds a bachelor’s degree in Jazz Studies (Saxophone) at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he studied with Greg Ward, Tom Walsh, and Walter Smith III. He finished a master’s degree at Northern Illinois University in 2022 where he studied with Geof Bradfield.

In addition to being an active performer, Arman is a committed educator. He is currently on faculty at the Chicago High School for the Arts (ChiArts) as the Music Teaching Artist. While at NIU, Arman held a graduate assistantship where he coached jazz combos and taught courses. During the summer he is a teaching assistant at Birch Creek Music Performance Center. He also held positions with Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL), Santa Catalina School, After School Matters, Stafford Music Academy, and NIU Community School for the Arts.

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

I think one of the best ways to support artists is going to shows! There are so many reasons to want to stay at home and not go out, but taking the opportunity to go and see music or events created by your own community is the best way to support. It helps venues keep the lights on and therefore help give artists more opportunities to perform. Another way to support is to buy music directly from your favorite artists. It’s hard to escape the world of streaming platforms, but buying music or merch directly from artists allows them to keep doing what they’re doing.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, it’s most rewarding to be involved in a music community like Chicago. It’s obvious that being a musician or artist is hard, but Chicago has a supportive and nurturing community that allows for musicians to grow. I always feel lucky to have the opportunity to play with every musician in Chicago and being able to learn on the bandstand. There are lots of mentor figures involved in the jazz scene who want to help the next generation, and I’m also always inspired by my peers and the projects that they’re doing. The scene here in Chicago also has a great variety of audiences who actively support live local music and it’s always rewarding to play for these audiences.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ArmanSangalang.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arman_sangalang/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArmanSangalang

Image Credits

JSPAM Photography